The Oddities of Love
by green-piggy
Summary: xDarknessAngelx's 100 Themes of Various Couples Challenge. Love can be an unique and indecisive emotion, often making one unaware of everyone else around them. But until true love calls, you might as well have fun with it. Current Chapter: Platonic Hayner/Joshua.
1. Meeting

**DISCLAIMER: This Challenge belongs to **_**xDarknessAngelx! **_**And you should all know that I don't own Kingdom Hearts, right? ;)**

**Well, I return with my... **_**eighth **_**Challenge? Wow! And well, I'm now juggling **_**six **_**at once, but I couldn't help but post this!**

**Also; thank you so **_**so**_** much to **_**Kiryn, Infamousplot, Fruity-Fruit Cups **_**and **_**Raberba girl **_**for helping me choose all of the pairings! You really do give me great help, and you all rock big time! *Hugs* :3**

**Updates for this baby will be nuts, but I am really looking forward to writing more of this, so expect quick updates! :)**

**Hopefully. ;)**

**Anyway; hope you all enjoy, and please R&R! :D**

**Pairing: Terra/Cinderella**

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_**:The Oddities of Love:**_

**Meeting**

Terra smiled warmly to himself, standing in the dark corner of the Ballroom hidden from sight. Watching Cinderella twirl around the room beautifully with a wonderful smile, he sat down onto the floor and continued to watch as memories of their meeting whirled around in his head.

How she had changed from that little girl that he found alone and crying in the woods, surrounded by Unversed...

Her smile; he found, was bright enough to light up all of the many Worlds that dotted the skyline of the vast Universe. He wasn't sure about _what _made him return here again, but...

What was he saying? Shaking his head, Terra observed the man who she was dancing with, who was in perfect timing with the female's delicate footsteps on the tiles. He was one very fortunate man to have gained such a perfect princess in Cinderella... Terra couldn't find anything wrong with her. Her eyes were a gorgeous shade of blue, and her long white dress flowed on her petite figure perfectly. Long blonde hair the shade of flowing honey was tied back with a white band.

Cinderella was a beautiful female. But, was she why Terra hadn't been tempted to aid the darkness in this World, unlike virtually every other World that he had been to?

"No, _no!_ _This _one!" humming in surprise, Terra looked up as a bright sparkle of rose red shot from the balcony above him. And it was aiming straight for; _Cinderella?_

Suddenly, her dress glowed and was replaced with a deep red color. It reminded the man of a rose; but this rose had no thorns.

"_No! Blue_ darling!" another voice called out loudly, as a dark blue line not unlike the sea of the Destiny Islands zoomed towards the dancing female. In a flash, her dress became a deep shade of blue similar to her eyes.

Smiling to himself, the brunet leaned back against the dusty wall and rested his head on his hands as the dress continued to change color and the bickering continued above him.

Cinderella would always look perfect, no matter _what _she wore.

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**A/N: Avoid the three extra words... avoid the three extra words... *Shifty look***

**Gah, I hate the start of this! But I'm looking forward to future chapters! :)**

**Please review! ^_^**


	2. Caring

**A/N: **_**Wow! Five **_**reviews and three favorites **_**already? **_**Thank you all so much! :3**

**OH MY GOD! Let's just all assume that the Fairy Godmother has the Three Fairies over for a good old cup of tea every now and again, 'kay? *Nods* XD I cannot believe I did that! :o**

**This is more fluff than anything else, so all haters of Aqua/Ven (myself included, but you have to try out new things!) **_**please **_**don't click back! :D**

**Hope you still all enjoy this! :D**

**Pairing: **Aqua/Ventus (AU)

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_**:The Oddities of Love:**_

**Caring**

Ventus didn't know why Aqua was so caring towards him, but he wasn't complaining.

"Just sit in bed for a while, okay Ven? I'll get anything that you need," Aqua smoothed, pulling the fluffy quilt over Ven's shivering body. The blond's teeth clattered violently as he tried to take a sip out of his smoking hot chocolate. The cup dropped from his shaking hands, but the female caught it in time.

"I'm sorry for this..." he attempted to choke the words out strongly, but they came out weak and defenceless. Aqua shook her head and began to run her soft fingers through his messy blond locks. Ven liked the feeling. It made him feel... loved?

No, _special_. And maybe a bit loved.

"I think a certain older twin is going to be quite jealous of you..." Aqua giggled gently at the sight of Ven's face turning into a scowl. Sighing, he threw his head onto the high patterned pillows fluffed up neatly.

"Roxas is _always _moaning at me! He's angry 'cause I'm too hyper, never shut up, always copy his homework..."

"...are you _sure _that you're sick?" Aqua asked in amazement, surprise stretched across her face. Ven suddenly made a loud groan while clutching his stomach heavily.

"Ah, my _stomach! _I can't live anymore! This pain is _killing _me!" throwing the quilt over his spiky locks, darkness temporally swallowed him. At least, until soft hands flung the covers off onto the nearby carpet. Said hands ruffled his hair roughly, a wide smile coming onto the female's face.

"You remind me of a Chocobo!"

...charming.

"_What? _I am not some weird bird thing that can _walk _and sometimes _talk!_" Ven shouted in dismay, sitting up in surprise as he looked at Aqua in horror. She had just called him a _bird!_

"Hmm..."

"Take that _back_!" he demanded loudly. The female only smiled at him and rose up from the bed.

"I'll let you stay off, don't worry," she gave him a flirty wink before walking out of the door, leaving a shocked Ven behind.

"...how did she _guess?_"

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**A/N: Chocobos are cute! :D**

**And, to (hopefully) get all of you guys excited, the next chapter is Sora/Yuffie! :)**

**Please review! ^_^**


	3. Need

**A/N: Thank you to everyone who reviewed! :)**

**Well... I struggled with this one for a while, but I got one now! Also, if you have a free moment; **_**please **_**vote on the poll on my profile! It is very important, you see. ;)**

**Hope you all enjoy! :D**

**Pairing: **Sora/Yuffie (AU)

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_**:The Oddities of Love:**_

**Need**

Sora had always hated new pupil. Mainly because they followed you around like a lost puppy with the promise of food. The school supplied a map for a reason.

And they _always_ copied answers off you. As the new girl to his right was trying to do.

"_Please! _I need to see them!" the female whined loudly, looking at Sora with pleading eyes. He looked at her briefly.

"Let me think... um, _no,_" he replied dryly, picking up his pen as he tried to focus on his Science again. The girl started to poke at his shoulder.

"_Please! _I'll be your bestie forever, and I'll buy you stuff and do your homework and-"

"What part of 'no' do you not get?" Sora demanded, slamming down his pen and frowning at the female. He had gotten next-to-zero sleep the night before, so no one could really blame him for being grumpy and annoying.

But this girl; whoever she was, was taking the mickey.

"The 'no' part! Please; it's only question 13!" she pleaded, fear genuinely glinting in her almost-black eyes (which were quite pretty, but Sora would _never _admit that). She tucked back a strand of raven-black hair (which was short but _still _quite pretty looking) behind her black hairband.

"...okay," the male sighed in defeat, and pushed his paper over onto the female's table. She looked at him, shocked with no words to say.

"..._what?_" she croaked out in disbelief (did that attractive yet grumpy boy _really_ just give her his paper?), earning a glare from Sora.

"Copy off it. You asked, right?" he questioned, blinking at her in confusion. A large grin suddenly beamed onto her face, as she smiled widely at him.

"Thank you _so much!_" she whispered excitedly as she looked at his words before copying them down (he had a very nice style of writing). She briefly looked up.

"What's your name, squirt?" she asked, glancing back as she continued to write.

"Sora? And you?" he asked, trying to avoid the fact that she had just called him small. Looking up at him (oh he had some _very _attractive eyes) she gleamed at him.

"I'm Yuffie!"

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**A/N: *Casually ignores the extra ten words* ;)**

**The next couple is an AquVan! :D**

**Please review! ^_^**


	4. Drug

**A/N: Thank you to everyone who reviewed! :)**

**I wrote this entire thing out while in school, when I was meant to be doing work... LOL! XD**

**Hope you all enjoy! :D**

**Pairing: **Aqua/Vanitas (AU)

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_**:The Oddities of Love:**_

**Drug**

"Are you alright there?" Vanitas looked up in alarm at the voice, anger pulsing through his veins at the newcomer. He _finally _managed to find some decent food (remains of a chicken were quite rare to come by nowadays) and the last thing he wanted is someone _talking _to him.

But destiny is a bitch.

"I'll be fine if you would leave me _alone,_" he replied harshly, digging a set of pointed teeth into some rotting skin and tearing it out. It tastes like (and smells like) vomit, but that's _heaven _compared to _some _of the other things that he's eaten.

"...there's no need to be like that," she snapped back just as quickly, and she setted herself into a pile of trash and forgotten food. Vanitas growled like an awakened animal before taking another bite.

"Whatever," he answered, sighing loudly as he threw away the bare bone. He would throw it onto his pile of rubbish, but a certain female is already sitting in it.

He decided to not tell her that he uses it as a toilet.

A peaceful silence of sorts descended on the two of them, as the wall continued to go by around them. The beeping of impatient cars and busy chatter seemed to be far away.

Vanitas picked at a scab on his knee in boredom, as he pulled them up to his chest and rested his head on their bony edges. The female plays with a sky-blue strand of hair, unsure of how to break the silence.

"I hope there aren't any drugsin here," she remarks finally, after getting sick of the silence between them. Vanitas' eyes snapped to her in alarm, amber widening in surprise.

"_What?_" he demanded, glaring at her in anger. Something suddenly vibrates in her pocket, and she takes out a mobile phone quickly and looks at it in surprise. The male's eyes grow wide as he looks hungrily at the device.

"Oh; gotta go! It was nice talking to you!" she called out loudly, standing up and sprinting away, leaving a shocked Vanitas sitting alone.

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**A/N: There was another hundred words to add to this! :( Damn word limit...**

**Please review! ^_^**


	5. Hello

**A/N: Thank you to everyone who reviewed! :D**

**I really dislike this chapter, but I did my best! It's weird writing different pairings! XD**

**This takes place during KHIII, when Square Enix decide to release it in 2099. :O**

**Hope you all enjoy! :)**

**Pairing: **Sora/Olette.

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_**:The Oddities of Love:**_

**Hello**

"Hello there... _Sora?_" Olette exclaimed in surprise, dropping her supplies bundled in her arms as a familiar mass of brunet hair walked inside. The shop bell chimed loudly as the wooden door opened, and was closed gently behind the visitor. A look of surprise flashed across the teenager's face, before he grinned widely.

Olette frowned as he came walking up the short corridor, the ancient wooden panels creaking beneath his feet as he moved. She rested her elbow on the counter, and drummed her fingers against the desk patiently. Behind her, a gentle fire gave off a homey feeling to the shop as its heat reached even the abandoned corners full of only spiders and mice.

"Hey Olette! I never knew that you worked in a shop!" he commented as he came to the table. Olette ducked down to grab the supplies that she had dropped; yes, it was rude, but there was also a pink tint on her cheeks.

And she didn't really want Sora seeing her like that.

"Oh; Pence normally works here, but he caught a cold and asked me to take over for him until he got better," she grinned widely at the loud clatter of glass bottles as they were gathered back into her arms. "He's going to be off for a while, knowing him, and Hayner will throw a fit at it."

Sora's loud laughter rang in her ears, "Yeah; that's Hayner for you!" he commented, looking around at the few shelves that decorated the store.

"So; why are you here so soon?" she asked, frowning as she laid out a collection of various Potions and Ethers onto the desk. Sora's face grew serious, as he looked down at his large shoes.

"...It's hard to explain," he trailed off, before looking up and grinning widely. "But no worries; I just came in for a quick visit, since I saw you here alone!"

The news sunk into Olette's brain in shock, as she looked at him surprised.

"_Really_?"

"...Um, I could leave if you want me to..."

A soft smile made its way onto the female's lips, as she leaned in towards the boy. "No; stay as long as you want. Why would I mind?"

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**A/N: I hate this one... and it's over the limit! XO**

**Please review! ^_^**


	6. Apples

**A/N: Wow! Thank you so much to everybody who reviewed! :)**

**I was struggling for a while, so sorry about the late update! And as for the AU featuring Aqua and Vanitas... it may get expanded. ;)**

**Hope you all enjoy! :D**

**Pairing: **Snow White/Ven.

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_**:The Oddities of Love:**_

**Apples**

Ventus walked along the wavy pathway of the Dwarf Woodlands, as the various woodland animals hopped around him. A few ears twitched in curiosity at the new comer to their forest, as the blond continued to walk. As the trees cast long shadows over him, something rolled smoothly along the rocky path. The boy stopped when he felt something tap his foot gently.

When he looked down, he was greeted with a pale red apple staring back at him emotionlessly. Well, it wasn't like apples have _emotions_ or anything.

Well, apple-shaped Unversed did, but that was another story.

He picked it up curiously, turning it over in his hands as he looked at it. Sky-blue eyes narrowed while searching it, before he shrugged and took a bite.

It couldn't be _that _bad, right?

"Oh Ventus!" a familiar female voice called out in surprise, and Ven turned around with a chunk of apple hanging from his mouth. There, standing only a few feet away with a fruit basket hanging off one arm freely, was Snow White.

"Mhmm!" he waved at her, trying to speak as well. However, his words only came out into a giant mess. The female giggled slightly at that, one hand covering her mouth.

"Oh Ven... you haven't changed at _all,_" she continued, almost seeming to _skip _towards the boy happily. All sorts of different animals; rabbits and birds and robins chirped as they bounced and flew along behind her. Ven quickly swallowed the rest of his apple, before smiling goofily at her.

"Hi Snow White!"

"Do you like apples?" she asked curiously, head tilting slightly. The blond looked away, before grinning widely at her again.

He didn't really, but he didn't want to upset her at the same time.

"Yep! I _love _them!"

"Then, do you want this?" she asked, pulling out a beautifully-colored apple from her basket. The boy took it off her hands, before taking a big bite out of it.

He didn't know why, but this apple was _far _sweeter than all the rest.

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**A/N: Yes, I did indeed just make up a new breed of Unversed. XD**

**Please review! ^_^**


	7. Angel

**A/N: Thank you to everyone who reviewed! :3**

**I've hit a bit of a block with this one... but I think I'm over it now! :D**

**Hope you all enjoy! :)**

**Pairing: **Terra/Aqua.

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_**:The Oddities of Love:**_

**Angel**

Terra could still remember the day when Aqua had come into the Land of Departure as clear as crystal. Master Eraqus had shooed her in quietly when the brunet was busy swinging his wooden Keyblade around in deep training, and told her to 'meet the fine young man upstairs'.

She wasn't expecting 'the fine young man' to be a nine-year-old covered in mud and with a wide toothy grin. It certainly made her forget about the tear marks that were slowly drying on her cheeks as she giggled at his appearance.

Nor was she expecting him to immediately challenge her to a battle. She didn't even know what a Keyblade was, for goodness sake! And then this strange boy with a key-shaped _stick_ had challenged her to a duel!

She _certainly_ wasn't expecting this. Still, as she picked up a small wooden sword shaped similar to the boy's, they quickly exchanged names (wasn't Terra a _girl's _name?) and then dove into their battle.

Naturally, she had wiped the floor with him. All of those years of acrobatics seemed to be _finally _coming into use.

"He-hey! No fair!" Terra wailed loudly, his surprisingly feminine voice echoing loudly as he pouted at the female. He crossed his arms and looked away with a 'hmm!', although he was curiously peeking at her from the corner of his eye.

"Tell me Terra; why isn't that fair?" she asked gently, walking over to the boy slowly. Immediately, he grabbed the handle of his weapon and pushed himself back up onto his two feet again.

"Because, because..." Terra suddenly looked down, trying to think of something valid to say. Suddenly, he smiled sheepishly and rubbed the back of his neck. "Because I've been here longer, and I try _really _hard! You're like an angel, you know?"

Aqua almost fell down the golden stairs in shock, "_What?"_

"Well, you're really pretty, and you're strong, and you're cool, and-"

"Terra! Aqua!" the Master's voice echoed in the hall. Both of them turned around, and the female mentally sighed in relief.

Thank goodness for _that._

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**A/N: Admit it; nine-year olds are one of the cutest things ever. I really want to write an one-shot based on this, but lots of people have already done it... :D**

**The next one is where the crack **_**really **_**begins; Lea/Tifa anyone? XD**

**Please review! ^_^**


	8. Music

**A/N: Thank you to everyone who reviewed! :D**

**Hope you all enjoy (apart from **_**BeyondTheClouds**_**, judging from her reaction... :p)! :)**

**Pairing: **Tifa/Lea (AU)

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_**:The Oddities of Love:**_

**Music**

"I told you for the last time to _leave me alone,_" Tifa gritted through her clenched teeth, looking over her shoulder to the skinny and dark figure that laid on the wall nearby. Placing her fingers gently on the piano, they chimed gently at the touch. She could almost see the smirk _beaming _from his face.

"And if I say no?" Lea asked, casually swirling his disk thing around his finger as he grinned widely at her. Tifa barely held back the overwhelming urge to slam into him and beat him up, because he was being _that _annoying.

"Then you're going to regret it, shorty," turning around, a warm feeling of smugness washed over her as she could imagine the boy frowning at her. She could feel his glare digging deeply into the back of her head, demanding to be allowed access to the workings of her mind.

Well, he'll have to dig a little bit more deeper.

"You did _not _just go there," he demanded, pushing himself off the wall as he glanced aquamarine eyes at her in surprise. Normally, _he _was the one who shoved little girls around and had them begging at his feet. It had _never _been the other way around.

Although this 'Tifa' person seemed to not be an usual girl. If she was friends with the likes of _Cloud _and _Leon_, then she must be a bit of a tough cookie.

"So what if I did shorty? Will you just leave me to my music?" Tifa turned around in her chair, glaring angrily at the redhead as he continued to spin that weird wheel thing around on his finger. She had to admit that if he wasn't such an idiot, then he would actually be quite attractive.

The key word being 'if', however.

"I'm staying here to listen to this 'music'," Lea stated simply, and this sent Tifa into a state of surprise. Did he just...

"_What?_"

"Music. The stuff that you play. Get it memorized shorty," a wide grin pulled on his face as Tifa glanced over her shoulder at him.

So, he was going to mess around with her? Well, two could play at that game.

And one of those players was her.

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**A/N: The weirdness! o_0 And 21 words over, but that's my lucky number!**

**The next one is Sora/Ariel! :3**

**Please review! ^_^**


	9. Song

**A/N: Thank you to the awesome **_**Infamousplot **_**for reviewing! Come on guys, where are the rest of you? :D**

**Hope you all enjoy! :)**

**Pairing: **Sora/Ariel

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_**:The Oddities of Love:**_

**Song**

"Wow Ariel! How do you sing so much? My throat really hurts now!" Sora exclaimed in shock, pulling dramatically at his throat as he pretended to faint. Ariel giggled slightly, and twirled around in the water with a broad smile on her face.

"I enjoy singing! It makes me feel better; do you want to do another song?" she asked curiously, swimming ever-so-closer towards the teenager. Sora felt his cheeks heat up (which was strange given that he was _underwater_), and he glanced over to where he could hear Donald yelling. The duck and Goofy were casually swimming around the small area, as Goofy accidentally swam into Sebastian.

"Gwash, I'm sorry!"

"You should be, you big paloka!"

"I don't think those two really want to..." he admitted sheepishly, grinning nervously as he rubbed the back of his neck. Ariel sighed, and looked over to the two as they continued to bicker; well, Donald was shouting at least. Goofy was just floating there, a curious look on his turtle face.

"Well, how about just me and you? If you don't mind that, of course!" the mermaid asked, a slightly pleading look on her face. After all, Father very rarely let her _talk _with anyone else, much less _sing_ with them.

"Um..." both of them winced when Goofy crashed into a pile of rocks, sending them tumbling down on top of him and Donald. Sora immediately swam over to them in alarm, a hesitant Ariel trailing after him.

"Honestly Goofy! You have a _really _bad history with rocks! First there's that, then..."

A large Fire spell suddenly burst through the rocks, scattering them into tiny pieces. Unfortunately, it also hit Sora's hair. As he began to shout for help while swimming blindly, Ariel quickly whacked him on the head with her long tail, removing the flames.

"_Now _do you want to sing a song?"

"...Okay! Come on guys!" Sora shouted, grabbing the arms of his two allies as he dragged them with him. Ariel glanced after him, a sad look on her face.

Sora was... different. And well... she really liked him. A _lot_. More than she probably should.

It was just a pity that he couldn't stay.

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**A/N: I broke the word limit. **_**Oopsies...**_** ;) The next pairing is Vanitas/Naminé!**

**Please review! ^_^**


	10. Safe

**A/N: Thank you to everyone who reviewed! :D**

**This one takes place in the same AU as 'Drug', since I have a massive story planned for that universe one day. Just think of this as getting little snippets into it, since there'll be a fair few more. ;) Do you guys want that?**

**Hope you all enjoy! :)**

**Pairing: **Vanitas/Naminé (AU)

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_**:The Oddities of Love:**_

**Safe**

Naminé creased out the long lines in her flowing dress, and shifted slightly on her soft feet. All around her, people were chinking glasses and talking casually about their work, life and what the future may hold for them. Today was a very happy day for their company, but she just couldn't muster up the energy to join in with them. She had always felt like an outcast at the company, but...

"Hey; do you need some fresh air?" a familiar and spunky voice asked. She turned around politely, and her blue eyes landed on a familiar blond with wind-swept hair.

"Ventus?"

"You're really pale. Seriously, get out there!" he ignored her look of surprise, instead placing a hand on her shoulder. A glass of water chimed gently in his other hand; he was too young for any alcohol.

"Are you-"

"I'll tell Tseng that you're not doing well. He won't mind," he offered, a warm smile coming onto his face. She smiled back at him.

"Thanks, Ven."

**-X-**

Vanitas tapped his foot impatiently, face creasing into a frown as he stood against a tall city wall nearby. Seriously, _where _was he?

Tossing the wooden ball in his hand lazily as he slid down to the rocky ground below, amber eyes widened in horror as it rolled away into the darkness of the night.

"F-"

And then it stopped. He could hear the light footsteps of someone nearby casually walking towards him, then the gentle shuffling of clothing as the figure bent down to pick up the ball. Pale hands inspected it curiously, turning it around in their hands. The boy stood up with a narrowed glare.

"Give that back!"

"Here you go," and then the ball was placed into his hands. He glanced up in amazement, although a dark scowl covered his face. _Why _did she give it back so easily?

"What? No angry comment? No flirts?" he winked slightly, as he made out the sight of a young female looking back at him. Her deep blue eyes shone with curiosity, as strands of silky blonde hair laid over her shoulder.

"I just try to be safe. No need to get in danger, right?"

"_Huh?_"

And then she left, as swiftly and as silently as she had come. A small smirk came onto the boy's face.

Now _she _was one that he should keep his eye out for...

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**A/N: *Whistles and casually ignores 49 extra words* If I don't mention it, then no one will- Oh. XD**

**Please review! ^_^**


	11. Giving

**A/N: Thank you to everyone who reviewed! :)**

**So... this is another chapter set in the Big Epic Story AU (it will called that until I think of a decent title). If you don't like that, then please let me know!**

**Hope you all enjoy! :D**

**Pairing: **Tidus/Xion (AU)

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_**:The Oddities of Love:**_

**Giving**

Xion nibbled on the end of her pencil, sparing numerous glances at the window which failed to conceal the horrors of the outside. Radiant Garden... it was in a _dreadful _state. After everything that had happened to them, would things ever turn back to normal? Would time somehow remind itself back to the sleepy summers of before, turning back the hands so that none of this would have ever happened.

But it _had _happened, and the ashes of homes and the bare skeletons of buildings outside only proved this point. Highlighted the deaths of thousands, and taunted her with the darkness and the fire and the _screams _and-

_Him._

"Hey; are you alright?" someone's smoothing voice asked her in worry, and she almost leaped out of her in surprise. Oblivion almost came to her hand, but then she reminded herself that she was in _school_, and _no _they were _not _going to come out of the shadows and attack her and take away all that she treasured and-

"_Hellooo?_" the blond asked again, waving a hand in front of her face. Blinking, she shook her head with a shy smile on her face.

"Sorry about that; I tend to do that a lot," she explained, before looking back outside.

"It's fine! My name's Tidus, and I'm going to be the best blitzball player in the world!" he announced, and Xion laughed softly as he sat on the wooden table. She thought that she had seen that fluff of blond hair and sparkling blue eyes before.

"Well, good luck then!"

"Were you thinking about the Heartless?" Tidus suddenly asked softly, looking upwards to the scene outside. Many people were running around the gardens madly, trying to get as much work done as possible.

"How did you-"

"I know these things," he teased, tapping the side of his forehead as he grinned. Xion couldn't help but laugh at him. "Life's all about giving and taking, you know?"

"Huh?" Xion asked, curious as to where this was going. He shrugged.

"They took the Heartless, but in return-" he stopped, looking to her with smiling eyes that were still full of child-like innocence.

"I got you."

"What on-"

"_Tidus!_ You're such a bad flirt!" a brunette smacked the boy on the head, making him fall off the table.

"Whoa! _Selphie!_"

And Xion laughed wholeheartedly for the first time in months.

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**A/N: I'm changing the word limit to 400 words! This is too hard, LOL! XD And the next theme is Xigbar/Larxene... how interesting. ;p**

**Please review! ^_^**


	12. Alone

**A/N: Thank you to **_**Infamousplot **_**for reviewing! :)**

**The story of writing for this one has been heavily inspired by the amazing **_**Mirae-no-sekai's **_**own take on this challenge, which is called **_**From Another Point of View. **_**Check it out! :D**

**Pairing: **Xigbar/Larxene

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_**:The Oddities of Love:**_

**Alone**

When the Organization had first been formed, Xigbar has been – for lack of a better word to use – _alone_. There was no one else who could bite back with sarcastic comments and heartless words, and yet still crack a grin at the end of it all. Most people would have been horrified by his actions – but you see, Xigbar wasn't 'any old dude'.

He was a very special 'old dude'.

And when a certain feisty blonde with some _serious _attitude ascended into their ranks; well, a cruel smirk had formed onto Xigbar's lips.

This new little toy was going to be easy to break.

**-X-**

The thing was, Larxene wasn't 'any new little toy'. She didn't take insults lying down. If someone insulted her, then by _hell _would they pay for even _daring _to utter a bad word about her.

A crackle of lightning and a smirk hungry for more prey always did do the job well.

Xigbar had great fun toying with her – messing with her mind, teasing her with things that didn't exist, memories that had never happened – but he _wasn't _expecting her to fight back.

So this rose had thorns, it seemed. It would only be more fun to rip them off, one by one and watch the blood drip from his fingers.

**-X-**

When he had gotten the news that everyone at C.O had been wiped off the face of non-existence, Xigbar simply laid back and really didn't give a damn.

To him, losing Larxene was just one less toy to play with.


	13. Rain

**A/N: Wow! The dark chapters got reviews! XD Maybe I should write them more often... ;P**

**Anyway; hope you all enjoy! :)**

**Pairing: **Aqua/Lea (AU)

**-X-**

_**:The Oddities of Love:**_

**Rain**

"Do you not like the rain?" Aqua asked, smiling warmly at the shivering boy beside her. Twirling the blue laced umbrella, she waited for an answer. Despite the fact that his teeth were clattering, Lea _still _refused to come underneath the inviting shelter.

...To be fair, he was _famous _for being stubborn. As well as stupid, but that last one was coming from her little brother. And Aqua knew to just ignore Isa's comments with rolled eyes and a raised eyebrow.

"I-I'm fine! Don't need some stupid umbrella to keep me warm..." Lea happily blocked out her words, pulling the checkered scarf he had on over his spiky hair. However, it only made some rather odd shapes.

Aqua burst out laughing, "Are you _sure _that you don't need an umbrella?" she asked again, nudging him gently with her elbow. The redhead (he insisted that he was _not _ginger, despite some _very _popular belief) looked up to her with flaring aquamarine eyes.

"I am _fine_. Just fine. Rosy, peachy. Life couldn't be _better _for me; I actually like the-"

"Shut up and just take the umbrella," Aqua interrupted his small rambling of words, placing the fabric over the smaller boy's head. It actually _amused _her, what with the fact that he was smaller in height than he was. Okay, so she had experience with squ-_short _people before (Ven and Vanitas to name two), but she never failed to grin at it.

"I _told _you, I'm-"

"If you get a cold, I'm going have to help you get better," Aqua teased, bending down to the boy's level as the rain continued to pour heavily all around them. Suddenly, she realized that they were the only people outside.

And their _faces _were awfully close together.

"So, if you want to help a lady out, then you'll get underneath the umbrella."

"..._Fine," _he grumbled, shoving his hands into his short pockets (why on _Ansem _was he wearing _shorts _and a _sleeveless_ t-shirt?), making his way underneath the umbrella. Aqua laughed again, drawing her face away.

Ah, the wonders of teenage hormones.


	14. Sky

**A/N: IIIIIIIIIIII'MMMMMMMMMMMM **_**BACKKKK! **_**After a super-duber-uber long break from FFN (I'll post more about that on my profile, if FFN will allow me to), I return with a new chapter. Long story short; I hit a writer's block, got stressed, discovered that FFN didn't help, had lots of exams bah blah bah. XD**

**Thanks to everybody who reviewed!**

**Hope you all enjoy (man, it's good to be writing again! :D)!**

**Pairing: **Sora/Aqua (AU)

**XxXxXxXx**

_**:The Oddities of Love:**_

**Sky**

In this war-stricken world with eternal nights and gloomy days filled with the smell of death, Sora wanted to see the sky. He wanted to get away from all of his battles, away from the monsters that roamed his world and tried to kill all that they saw, and see the _stars_.

He can still remember his home before everything unfolded; the smell of toast wafting through the air, his mother smiling at him as he wolfed down his breakfast, his cousin rolling his eyes before poking at his cereal with a raised eyebrow. It was weird to think that it had only been a year; it seemed to have _forever_. He wants to see the sky again; see his family and friends, alive and well.

But the new girl, with hair the color of a fresh sky on the horizon, will be as close as he can get to reaching for the clouds above. For now, anyway.

**-X-**

Aqua wasn't expecting to live through the attack. She could still remember watching the reporter on the TV attacked from behind, and then there was nothing but the haunting sound of static as the cre met the same fate. And his _screams_ – she had tried _so so so hard _to get to Ven in time, but she had saved another boy who looked just like him instead. He said that his name was Roxas.

And oh _why _did _Zack _have to live, and his cousin Terra had to die? Why couldn't it have been the other way around? _Why?_ It was a selfish thought, but in this world of horror and doom, it was hard to _not _be selfish.

There goes another bomb.

No, wait – it's a boy with chestnut brown hair and sky-blue eyes, running towards her along the rubble of her old home.

Something tells her that it's going to be the closest that she'll _ever _get to the sky.


	15. Please

**A/N: Thank you to **_**MonMonCandie **_**and **_**Infamousplot **_**for reviewing! *Huggles***

**MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE! I can't wait until tomorrow! *Starts bouncing around madly* XD**

**Here's a whole bunch of candy canes and mistletoes to keep you all busy. This is way over the word limit, but it's Christmas! A very special occasion indeed! :)**

**Merry Christmas, and a very Happy New Year to everyone who's reading this! Hope you all enjoy! ^_^**

**Pairing: **Pence/Olette

_**:The Oddities of Love:**_

**Please**

"_Please _can we do something else _apart _from shopping?"

"Nope!"

"Pretty please?"

"No!"

"Pretty please with a sea salt ice-cream on top?"

"Um... no."

Pence continued to squirm in Olette's iron grip as she dragged him through the many shops in Twilight Town. People were giving the two teenagers some rather odd looks as they barged into the shoppers on accident, and some were whispering into each other's' ears.

"How come you never bring _Hayner _with you?" the boy whined. Olette rolled her eyes and then smacked him playfully on the back of his head. "_Ouch!_"

"Because he's always practicing for the Struggle all of the time!"

"Olette, its _winter." _Pence dead-panned, "The Struggle is in the _summer_," he accidently slammed into a clothes rack, and began to hop around in pain.

"It's two days before Christmas! I have to get you- ah, that looks _perfect!_" Olette exclaimed, letting go of her friend before running off towards a nearby stall. Falling onto the carpet dramatically, Pence groaned as his friend excitedly _ripped _through all of the items on sale. What was she looking for?

Then he realized that he had yet to get Hayner _or _Olette a present. Stupid bad memory...

As Olette continued to look at the sale items and clothes, Pence allowed his glance to travel upwards. His eyes rested on something, and he knew that Hayner would _love _it.

Swiping it off the shelf, he waited for Olette to come back before going to the till and paying for the item.

**-X-**

"Yay. Best Christmas present _ever_," Hayner said dryly, pulling at the bouncy ball that was on his hat. Olette squealed, and clapped her hands together.

"You look _adorable_ Hayner! Let me get a picture!" she began to fumble in her pockets for a camera, while Pence laughed at Hayner's elf costume. He _knew _that it would be a great gift!

"_No," _Hayner swiped the camera off Olette and turned it around to face her. At that moment, the crate underneath Pence decided to collapse.

"Whoa! _Olette_!" the two of them shouted in horror as the brunet fell onto Olette on the sofa. Olette poked her head out, and was greeted with the flash of the camera. Hayner laughed as hard as he could, leaning against the crates for support.

"Man, this _is _the best Christmas ever!"


	16. Simple

**A/N: This one's another dark one, by the way. Just a little warning! I'm not very happy with it, but it's the best that I could do! :D**

**Happy New (Early!) Year, everybody! ^_^**

**Pairing: **Eraqus/Aqua

_**:The Oddities of Love:**_

**Simple**

It is a very well-known fact that there are two different genders (sometimes three) of people in the Worlds. A man, and a lady. A man often desires to have a lady as his own, even if the lady doesn't return the feelings for him. Sometimes, the feeling that the man has for the lady is love. Other times, the feeling is lust.

Eraqus isn't sure what feeling it is that he has towards Aqua, but he _hates _it with every fibre of his being. He's sure that it's the darkness – the very same thing that he teaches his pupils to _never _have – beckoning out inside him, wanting a taste of a _girl_, of some shape, size or species. Years alone in the Land of Departure training with Mast- _Xehanort _and his own Master have left him hungry for a female to talk to. He used to have one – Sofia, with her lovely silky hair and eyes that smiled with happiness and joy – but those eyes soon shone with sorrow.

Master banned him from travelling to other Worlds after that. No Worlds meant that he had no chance to interact with people who didn't live a life of training, sleeping and training some more.

A ban meant that he could never be near a girl again. No one knows just _how _hard he tried to silence the darkness within him that clawed at his heart furiously, but it won out in the end. It _always _wins in the end, one way or another.

Somehow, the training dummy in his room with empty, hollow eyes and a face that never changes doesn't satisfy his desire.

And then he comes to Aqua. Oh, if only life could be as simple as he wanted it to be.


	17. Phone Call

**A/N: I skipped a theme... but this pairing was **_**screaming **_**to be wrote out! XD Also, there's a very important poll on my profile about the future of one of my challenges. Please check it out if you have a moment! :)**

**AU, but not the same one as **_**Era**_**. Hope you all enjoy! ^_^**

**Pairing: **Yuffie/Riku (AU)

_**:The Oddities of Love:**_

**Phone Call**

"_Hey Riku! Riku!"_

"I'm here, Yuffie," Riku replied, tapping his fingers on the wooden bed table as he sat on his small bed. And to think that he had been planning to get some of his work due for school done soon...

Yuffie giving him a 'quick' phone call, however...

"_You know Aerith?"_

"No, I don't. _Please_ tell me who this strange person is."

"_Oh zip it, Kadaj_."

"I am _not _my brother, for the _final _time," Riku muttered through clenched teeth. He could imagine his friend grinning at the other end of the phone.

"_You keep telling yourself, Sephiroth."_

"_Yuff-_"

"_Anyway! Zack proposed to her today! How sweet is that?"_

Okay, he wasn't expecting that, "Wow... really? He finally got the guts to ask her?"

"_Yep! And it was while we were all at the park! Such a romantic place, right?"_

"You're worse than _Selphie, _Yuffie," Riku winced at how she would often go on for hours about finding that 'Special Someone'. Honestly, _how _was Kairi friends with a hopeless romantic like _her_?

"_Oh, _don't _start on her Riku! Honestly, she and Tidus need to kiss already! They're _so _meant to be!"_

"...I think Tidus likes Yuna."

"_Well personally, I like Squall."_

Riku dropped the phone in horror, half in surprise and half at the painful feeling that was attacking his heart.

"_Hellooooo? Riku? Are you okay? Did my awesomeness kill you?"_

"I'm fine," he croaked out, picking up the phone again.

"_Seriously though Loz, are you alright?"_

"My name is _Riku._"

"_Well, I like you as well Riku. Don't worry!" _Yuffie's _cheerful_ – how could she be _cheerful_?- tone buzzed through the speaker. Riku let out a breath he didn't know he was holding in.

"Really?"

"_Yeah! Your hair is so soft, and oh, those eyes allure me deep into your _soul_!"_

"You're getting cheesy again, Great Ninja," Riku smirked slightly.

"_I know you love it Yazoo!"_

Riku shook his head, "Actually, I do."


	18. Attempt

**A/N: Yay! Go ultra-late updates! XD**

**Hope you all enjoy! ^_^**

**Pairing: **Zack/Aerith (post-KHII, when Zack has returned to Radiant Garden)

_**:The Oddities of Love:**_

**Attempt**

Zack did _not _like getting dragged out of his bed at ungodly hours (one in the afternoon was _not _too late to get up, despite Aerith's protests and Cloud's sighs) in the morning. He _hated _having to face the cruel, harsh world when he could be happily be snuggling into his warm, freshly made bed with a plushie hugged between his tough arms. Not to mention Leon's temper. Oh _Gaia_, Leon when he got angry...

There were the Heartless as well, he guessed.

"Just a _few more minutes..._" Zack pleaded loudly, swiping lazily at Aerith's head. She easily ducked it and sighed, although her nature-green eyes were sparkling with a smile.

"Rise and shine, Zack! Squall wants us to destroy a large Heartless today," she stopped, waiting for an answer. Zack's hazy blue eyes were all that greeted her. Rolling her eyes, she yanked his long, raven-black hair, "C'_mon! _We haven't got all day, and I want to go outside and _do _something! At least make an _attempt _to get up!"

"I thought it was Leon..." Zack mumbled, pushing himself up with his arms. Shaking his head, Aerith put a hand on his shoulder and smiled.

"You ready yet?"

"It's too-"

"-Ten o'clock is _not _too early to be getting up! Even _Cid _is up, and we all know how much he likes his sleep!" Aerith reprimanded, kneeling down to Zack's side.

"Aerith Gainsborough," Zack said, looking at her. He seemed to be more awake now, eyes already sparkling with mischief at everything that he could do today. Aerith glared right back at him, and too-bright blue met emerald green.

"Zackary Fair. I will do things to you that will hurt you so bad that you'll regret ever meeting me," she challenged. She smirked slightly as Zack moaned loudly, knowing that he had been defeated. _Again_.

"What kind of Heartless is it, anyways?"

Aerith smiled cheerfully, mischief shining in her eyes, "A Dustflier, of course!"

Zack groaned louder into Aerith's chest.


	19. Touch

**A/N: **Inspired, and set in the same universe, as a wonderful story called _Glitch_. I've forgotten who wrote it, but a quick check with 'Naminé' and 'Lea' as the two main characters will get it up. I advise reading it; it's amazing! :)

Hope you enjoy, and sorry for the late update! I'm going to try and kick this up the backside and continue writing it.

**~Touch~**

**Pairing: **Naminé/Lea

"I..." Naminé took a shaky step back, shock evident on her pale, doll-like face. Her sea-blue eyes desperately scanned the redhead in front of her for some kind of lie; _any _lie, because surely she currently-

"Hey! Did I upset ya or something?" the boy asked, cocking his head in confusion as he lazily twirls a black Frisbee in his dangling hand, clashing against his skin-colored shorts.

"I..." Naminé repeated in disbelief, shaking her head. "I can _touch _you? But-" this is a fictional Twilight Town, the one in which Roxas lives in. No one can see her, so why can this boy who looks so much like _him_, with his fiery red hair and sparkling green eyes (although they are a lighter shade, almost like the sea on a hazy day), see and _touch _her, just fine?

He must be another glitch in the program that DiZ ignored, just like the time that the trams flew through the sky or the own town was painted negative. _That_ had been a pain on her eyes.

"Well," the boy began, shrugging his shoulders. In his other hand are two melting ice-cream sticks, forgotten in the heat and confusion. "I should _hope _so. I mean, it would be kinda weird if I couldn't touch ya, right?"

"...I _guess_," Naminé answered slowly, trying to calm down her breathing.

"Dude, you still look like you've seen a ghost," he deadpanned, waving his hand in front of her face uncertainly, eyebrow raised in an almost-mocking gesture.

Oh, if only he realized the irony in that.

"..."

"Oh, yeah!" he held out his other hand, which had the two melting, ice-blue treats in them. He grinned at her, teeth flashing sheepishly. "You want some? I like it, but not _that _much."

Naminé looked at the ice-cream, the one which Roxas and Axel and _her _used to eat every day without failure upon that rusty tower, and took it from his hands. She whispered a tiny thank you before taking an even-tinier bite of it.

"By the way" he pointed to himself. "Name's Lea. Get it memorized."


	20. Passion

**A/N: **Basically, I'm going by the Head!Canon that Demyx/Myde actually lived on the Destiny Islands before he lost his heart eight years prior to KHI. I know it's most likely not possible, but I made it so for this occasion.

This particular chapter/pairing is dedicated to the wonderful _Kiryn_, since she loves this pairing a lot. Hope you like it girl! :)

**~Passion~**

**Pairing: **Demyx/Kairi

For someone who didn't have a heart, Demyx played his music with one of the fiercest passions that Kairi had ever seen. She couldn't remember the last time that she had watched someone play as if their (non?) _lives _depended on it; as if one simple error in the flawless melody would end both the song and their life abruptly.

He reminded her of a lovely and soulful musician who had been playing on the Islands, in the centre of the bustling town when she was still fresh to the world. His warm water-deep eyes shone with the music; felt its joys leap up and its sorrow strike through his heart. He greeted all of his crowds with a smile, cocking his head and asking if they would like more.

He had vanished eight years ago, at the young age of sixteen.

Kairi couldn't help but think that Demyx looked a lot like him.

His name had been Myde.

**oOo**

Kairi reminded Demyx of a little, shy red-haired girl who used to always watch him play his music. She was the first person who had ever seen him perform, underneath the shade of the tall tree and the background chorus of seagulls and crashing waves against gentle, golden sands.

He hadn't been expecting a tiny girl of six in a sundress, ocean-deep eyes nervously looking at the sand. He had sat her down, and offered to play one of his many songs for her on the sitar. She had glanced up at him, her wide eyes portraying genuine curiosity and interest.

So he had played for her, allowing the music to take him over. His fingers strummed over the strings, plucking and sliding along each one of them as he played his cheerful melody. The little girl had clasped her hands together, and then given him a small, yellow star-shaped fruit as an award. He had never seen her again, after that fateful day.

Demyx couldn't help but think that Kairi looked a lot like her.

Such a shame that he never found out her name.


	21. Dawn

**A/N: ***Starts cursing the word limit* Seriously, thanks to that... _thing_, I had to chop out over half of this! It was over 800 words when I finished it for editing! *Head desk* T-T

Hope you all enjoy! :)

**~Dawn~**

**Pairing: **Axel/Yuffie (AU)

"I'm so _boreeedddddd!"_

"Well _that's _new."

"Shut up," Yuffie said, glaring at her redhead friend. If the Great Ninja could magically throw daggers with her eyes, then Axel would be rolling on the floor in torture, begging for forgiveness. And since she was so awesome, she would stand there, all Squall-like, stony-faced with her shuriken over her shoulder and-

"Are you trying to glare actual daggers at me again?"

_One _day. _One _day, she would make it work.

"It's not my fault if Squall's always so _latteeeeeee!_" Yuffie whined again, kicking her thin legs back and forth on the metal bars while trying to 'accidentally' kick Axel. It didn't work.

"Do you always drag out the last word for a really long timmmeeeeee?" he asked, leaning back on the bars before pushing himself off them. Yuffie glanced over to him, watching him as he pulled himself back up with ease. For a skinny runt like him, he was pretty damn strong.

"Nah; I just felt like it."

"Leon's going to be late for your _date!_" Axel teased in a sing-song voice, grinning widely at Yuffie with mischief. The black-haired teen pouted, giving Axel a sideways glance as she rested her head on the bars. She started to tap her fingers on it, the nails making a hollow sound echo.

"We're _not _dating! Squall's with Aerith or Tifa, isn't he?"

"Is he?" Axel frowned, leaning back. "I thought you two were in _luuuvveee!_"

"Look at the radiant dawn over there!" Yuffie suddenly cried, pointing frantically to the west of them, where the nearby park was. Axel immediately looked over, blinking in surprise.

"What radiant-"

"_Gotcha!_" Yuffie began laughing manically when she shoved Axel in the shoulder, making him topple over backwards in surprise onto the ground. However, her Awesome Ninja Skills weren't counting on him pulling on her jacket as well, bringing her with him.

The two teenagers fell in a tangle of limbs. Axel was lying on the bottom, slightly dazed. His hands were lying on Yuffie's... _those_.

"_AXELLLL!"_

"I would prefer it if you didn't feel up Yuffie, Axel."


	22. Royalty

**A/N: **Sorry for the long wait! Hope you enjoy this chapter! :)

**Pairing: **Leon/Yuffie (AU)

**~Royalty~**

"Surely." Leon pressed a hand to his forehead in exasperation, with the infamous 'Squall Glare' with it. "This... _person _is not royalty."

Cloud silently leant against the handle of his Buster Sword, which is firmly implanted in the soft ground below. "Apparently, this 'Yuffie' is the princess of Wutai. I wouldn't underestimate her."

"I understand that, Cloud, but..." he gestured to the sleeping girl. "She doesn't look like an adult. She looks _eighteen, _at the most. I've only just became the prince of Balamb, and I am _twenty-six_."

Cloud rolled his bright eyes, smirking slightly. "I didn't know you were paying that much attention to her, 'Prince'."

Leon glared at the blond, grateful that the darkness of the night was hiding his blushing cheeks. How _dare _he suggest that he was playing with a young female? An attractive one, but-

"Silence from the Lion, eh?" Cloud said, smirk only widening. "Is there something you're not telling me?"

"W-we need to find Priestess Aerith. She may have a ritual to aid the Princess' recovery. We cannot carry her unconscious for the long."

"Because the Imperial Army will find us," Cloud muttered silently, strapping his huge, scarred weapon onto its holster on his back. He bent down to pick up the small girl, who seemed so weak and fragile in his arms, and not at all like the girl fighting them half an hour ago.

"_I'm the Great Ninja Yuffie, the last White Rose of Wutai! I'm not gonna give up, you hear me?"_

Leon cast one final gaze at the princess before making his way out of the cave to find Aerith. Undoubtedly, she would be in the abandoned church this time, either with Vaan, Tidus or Zack.

After all, he was paying far too much attention to their new arrival.


	23. Hold My Hand

**A/N: **I've had a massive falling out with the KH fandom in general. However, I loved writing this. :)

Vanitas and Sora are seven, while Kairi is six. Hope you enjoy! :D

Pairing: Vanitas/Kairi (AU)

_:The Oddities of Love:_

**.:Hold My Hand:.**

"Hold my _hand!_"

Vanitas merely shuffled away from the red-haired girl, who in his honest opinion, was a freak. However, his twin brother, one Sora Keys, was too busy stuttering over her appearance to help him, his big cheeks as red as Vanitas' anger.

"_Please?_" Kairi asked, her bottom lip jutting out slightly as her eyes began to water. Despite the fact that Kairi was a _girl_, and therefore touching her would make him ill and sick like Auntie Aqua had done to Uncle Saïx, it was _adorable_.

"No."

"Why _not?_" Gah, why wouldn't the annoying brat just leave him _alone?_ But oh no, thanks to his teacher (who Vanitas was convinced hated his guts and took sadistic pleasure in torturing him), he was stuck with Kairi and Sora in some stupid group work task, and Sora was too busy being his usual idiotic self to help.

Despite being seven, Vanitas was _smart_. He knew these things, like about the weird noises he could hear at night from Mommy and Daddy's room, and the fact that Sora was allergic to flowers, and that touching girls could kill people.

So his conclusion was; no, he was not going to hold Kairi's hand. He would die, and he still had to bug the blond twins.

"Because... you're a _girl!_ And... and girls make people sick. My uncle's sick because of them, you know."

"That's so _stupid_," Kairi said, sticking out her tongue. Which again, looked cute. "I only want to put this watch on you!"

Then Vanitas saw the pink and purple watch with orange flowers that Kairi had dangling from her hand, and he wanted to curl up and die in that moment.

So, he did the only thing he could have done.

He grabbed Kairi's hand and squeezed it tightly. The young girl looked at him with deep violet eyes, confused.

"Huh?"

"..." Vanitas didn't want to mention that it actually felt _nice_, holding her hand, and that he didn't feel like Uncle Saïx.

"You want the watch?"

Vanitas looked at it, and the nice feeling went away.

"Hell no."


	24. Colors

**A/N: **Does anyone else notice the fact that particularly every KH story is AU? Just a little something I noticed while trawling through the stories recently.

Also, I enjoyed writing this far more than I probably should have done. I can see why people like this pairing now.

Thank you to _Infamousplot _for her review! :)

**Pairing: **Naminé/Zexion (AU)

_**:The Oddities of Love:**_

**Colors**

It is underneath the colors of autumn leaves hanging from an ancient oak tree, that Naminé meets Zexion for the first time. The most obvious sign of his arrival to her personal spot is his long, bluish grey hair falling over his startling blue eyes, a series of books tucked neatly against his chest (Naminé later notices that they are arranged in alphabetic order).

He glances up at her, clearly surprised that someone else had thought to go all of the way to here; it is at least a mile away from the town of twilight, the place that never sleeps. Naminé puts down her sketchbook, a drawing of a bird soaring free in the sky remaining unfinished.

Shuffling his feet, he asks quietly if he could perhaps intrude into her personal space, since he has a book he had wanted to finish for weeks, but his younger brother and his best friends refuse to let him.

Naminé tries to not giggle at the sight of bright pink on the tips of his hair, and he tips his head in slight confusion. Nodding, Naminé tells the mysterious boy that of course he is welcome, as long as he respects her space.

The boy mutters a silent "thank you" to her, before sitting down beside her and opening his book.

**-o-**

Later on, it becomes a daily ritual for the two of them to meet at the same tree every day, no matter the weather. Through snow does Naminé tell him about her lovable baby brother, Ventus, while through crackling thunder and screaming thunder does Zexion begin to tell her about his favorite book, one in which the hero doesn't always win, and life isn't always black and white.

Naminé tries to ignore the frown on his face whenever she mentions her boyfriend, and she in turn tries to not burst out laughing when he tells her with a serious face about the day Demyx, one of his few friends, decided that dying his friend's hair pink was a good idea.

It is their secret ritual, but one that paints the world in so many more colors for Naminé.


	25. Eyes

**A/N: **Woot! Go not updating for ages! ... T_T I don't even like this pairing. Ah well. :)

**Pairing: **Riku/Xion

_**:The Oddities of Love:**_

_Eyes_

"Why don't you ever show your eyes?" Xion asks one day, while the two of them are sitting, watching the sunset on Destiny Islands. When Riku glances up to see the girl with her hands behind her, her head tilted back to catch the sea breeze, it sends a stabbing pain of regret piercing into his heart, because that was the way _she _used to sit, the way _she _used to talk...

It all reminds him of how he failed to protect them, Sora and Kairi, Kairi and Sora, and it makes the pit of despair in his heart only open wider.

"You don't want to see them," he says, deciding to not tell Xion about his inner conflicts, about the fact that she is a representative of _both _his best friends, what with _her_ voice and laugh and _his _smile and naïve belief-

"I do. If I'm truly a Nobody, I won't be afraid, right?" Xion tilts to face him, and Riku still still still sees _her _eyes and _her _laugh and _that _shine in them as deep as-

"But you're not. You're my friend."

Xion now looks at him, surprised. "Really? You view me as a... _friend_?" She twirls her hands together, clenching them together, and Riku has to look away to try to hide the tears threatening to flee his eyes because it's the way _she _used to hold her hands together when _she_ was worried, and _she_ would bite her below lip in anxiety and thought and-

Then she crosses her legs over, and it's just like _him_, and the thought of his best friend asleep with a chance of never waking up makes his heart twist again, because it isn't right, it just isn't, they didn't deserve this, and now-

"Yeah," he says softly, breaking off his own thoughts.

"Thank you."

"Don't thank me."

Because despite the fact that he _knows _that Xion is her, and no one else, he still sees Sora's smile and Kairi's laugh in her, no matter how hard he tries not to.

The thought hurts far more than it should.


	26. Candy

**A/N: **I swear, FFN needs to make a new genre and call it 'fluff'. XD

Thanks to _Infamousplot _for reviewing!

**Pairing: **Winnie the Pooh/Xion (friendship)

_**:The Oddities of Love:**_

**Candy**

Xion giggled as Winnie the Pooh pulled his head out from yet another jar, honey dripping down his face. Combined with his wide eyes and complete innocence, he was easily the most adorable thing Xion had ever come across. Who knew that missions could be so good?

"Are you okay, Pooh?"

"Hmm..." The large yellow bear rubbed off some more honey onto his paw, looking at it with his wide black eyes. "I do wish there was more honey. I'm afraid that this simply isn't enough..." He sat down on a log nearby and licked his paw. Xion barely resisted the urge to squeal loudly and hug him. He was so _cute!_ He was even more adorable than Pluto, and he was cute!

"_Aww!_"

"Think, Pooh, think..." the bear said to himself, hitting his chin softly in thought. Xion sat down beside him with a smile, and began to rustle through her cloak pockets (of which there were many).

After finding what she was looking for, she took it out and set it on her lap. It was a small piece of candy, wrapped up neatly with blue and purple striped paper. Pooh looked at it in fascination.

"Oh? What's that, Xi?"

"It's candy," the girl explained, holding it out to him in her hand. "They call it a Rare Candy; although Axel said that he didn't know what it was... do you want it?"

He tilted his head curiously, his face one of interest. "Does it taste like honey?"

Xion smiled. "I think so."

She handed it over to him, her smooth fingers softly wrapping around Pooh's gentle, tiny paw as they squeezed the gift into his hand. Removing her hand, she giggled again as Pooh took a bite out of the object, uncertainly.

"Hmm... it doesn't taste like honey."

"You're meant to unwrap it first, that's why."

"..._Ah_."


	27. Kiss

**A/N: **The Alexa reference is for the girls at the forum. You all know who you are. ;P

By the way, this is platonic. You read that? PLATONIC!

**Pairing: **Lea/Kairi

_**.:The Oddities of Love:.**_

**~ Kiss ~**

"That way! That way!"

Lea laughed at his excited younger sister as she pointed eagerly in the direction that the butterfly had flown off to. It led to the gardens nearby, a place that Lea didn't fancy going, what with the little girl trying to stay on his back.

"Chill, chill, we'll go after it."

Kairi kicked him not-too-gently in the side, laughing. "_Go _Alexa!"

He sighed. "_Where _did you get that from, seriously?"

"Isa told me!"

Isa had a _lot _of explaining to do the next time they met up. Which would probably be in a few hours, thankfully.

"Well then, Isa's a very naughty boy. Do you remember what happens to naughty boys?"

"...They turn into butterflies?"

Lea struggled to keep a straight face as he imagined Isa fluttering away with large, colourful wings. The teenager would most likely smack his head with his antennas. "Oh, boy..."

Kairi frowned. "D-did I say something wrong?"

Ah, the minds of five-year-olds. Lea laughed, somehow managing to ruffle her hair despite the fact that she was higher up than him. "Of course not. Now, let's hurry after the butterfly! Get it memorized."

He was _not _expecting what happened next. Kairi bounced off his back and then walked around to his front. Bending down, Lea was about to ask what was wrong, but was silenced by a kiss.

On the lips.

Lea was in too much shock to do anything. However, once he regained control of his body, he shoved Kairi off and wiped furiously at his mouth with the back of his hand. "Ew, ew; _incest_!"

"But," Kairi whispered, confused. "I saw two people who loved each other do that. Grandmommy and Granddaddy do that as well, don't they?"

Lea blinked. "Y-yeah..."

"So why can't we?"

Lea began to slam his head repeatedly against the fountain nearby while moaning loudly. "Man, my first kiss was to my _sister_!"

"What's incest?"

Oh crap.


	28. Appearance

**A/N: **Inspired by _Infamousplot. _Again. :3

**Pairing: **Hayner/Joshua (platonic)

* * *

><p><strong>.: the oddities of love :.<strong>

**~appearance~**

* * *

><p>"MUMTHECREEPYKIDISONMYBEDAGAINANDITOLDYOUTO<em>LOCKTHEDOOR<em>AND-"

His mother burst through the door, her face the image of resigned acceptance. She followed his trembling finger, then sighed. "Hayner, there's _no one there._"

Hayner whirled his head around. "_What?_" Sure enough, there was no sign of the creepy kid who'd been stalking him around town lately. But how did he just... just _disappear _like that? ACK _why _did he even _have_ a stalker!? Seifer was bad enough... "B-b-b-but-"

"No buts," she said crossly. "Now do your homework."

"But Olette has-"

"-I _don't care _about what Olette has, you are _doing _your homework; and _no excuses_, you've only got one shot at school, this _isn't _a video game-"

Hayner silently blocked out the rest of his mother's lecture until she closed his bedroom door, rolling her eyes. Sighing in relief, he turned to his bed...

...To see Creepy Kid _giggling _at him.

"You should listen to your mother, hmm?"

"AHHHHit'syouagain_leavemealone_Idon'tevenknowyou_whyareyoudoingthis_!?"

"If you'd like to settle down for a sec, I'll _gladly _answer your questions, one at a time." He giggled airily, crossing his legs over – and _ack _he looked so freaking much like a _girl!_

"Are you a girl!?"

"Given that my name is _Joshua_," he began with a smirk. "I like to think not."

"Why are you on my bed?" Hayner's back hit his bedroom door as he tried to calm himself down. This was, what, the _sixth _time that it had happened? He really should have been getting used to this, but when he had told Pence and Olette, they'd freaked out. ("Oh really _let me see!_" and "Hayner, you _really _should report this to the police and GET YOUR HOMEWORK DONE!")

"Why not?" Cre- Joshua asked, shrugging his shoulders.

"Because it's _creepy, _and most people _don't _stalk other people."

"I wasn't stalking you."

"Then _what _was it? Slyly following a person around and _sitting _on their bed? Yeah, I think that qualifies for stalking. How do you _do _that, anyway?"

"Oh, I have my ways."

"Descriptive," Hayner snarked. "You should seriously take literature classes."

"Shouldn't I just."

Hayner felt like tearing his hair out.


End file.
